Next Up in Crusader Basketball: The playoff picture should become clearer after Wednesday night’s game between the Crusaders and the Titans in Detroit. Valpo is currently in eighth place, a game ahead of Detroit in the standings. The Brown and Gold hold the tiebreaker for now if the two were to finish with identical records. A win at Calihan Hall greatly enhances the likelihood of Valpo hosting the #8/#9 game on March 10th.

Last Time Out: Valpo shot a season-best 55% (33-60) from the the field Saturday versus Oakland in an 84-70 win over the Golden Grizzlies. Sharon Karungi pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds to go with her 22 points. Charae Richardson and Jessi Wiedemann both scored 17 while Jessica Carr’s 16 points also equaled a career high for the junior. In avenging their January 15th loss to Oakland, the Crusaders completed a 47-point turnaround by claiming a 14-point victory.

Following the Crusaders: Audio - WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso) - Brandon Vickrey and Tommy Mantice will have the call. Video - Horizon League Network. Links for the audio, video and live stats will be available at ValpoAthletics.com. In addition, ValpoGameday.com is a one-stop shop for live video, stats and social media interaction, all on the same page.

Head Coach Tracey Dorow: Tracey Dorow (15-41) is in her second season at the helm of the Valparaiso women’s basketball program in 2013-14. In her first season, Dorow led the Crusaders to eleven victories overall, including five in Horizon League play. Dorow arrived in Valparaiso after 14 seasons at Ferris State. She compiled a 232-163 record while with the Bulldogs. Furthermore, Ferris State posted the #1 grade point average in all of Division II for the 1999-2000 women’s basketball season as well as the #2 ranking in 2002-2003.

Series Notes: Detroit leads the all-time series 11-7 over Valpo. The Crusaders won the most lopsided game in series history last month when they defeated the Titans 85-44 at the ARC. After dropping four straight from March 2011 to February of last year, the Brown and Gold have won two straight over Detroit.

Storylines...- The Crusaders are in search of back-to-back wins for the second time this season.- Valpo’s 41-point triumph over Detroit in January represented the largest margin of victory for the Crusaders since Feb. 13th, 2010.- The Crusaders will see forward Megan Hatter (10.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG) for the first time. Hatter did not play in the 1/23 game in Valpo. - The Brown and Gold had a season-high 18 steals vs. the Titans in their last meeting. Their second highest total on the year is 10.- Valpo and Detroit have met just once in the postsesason (2011).

@Detroit_Titans- The @Detroit_Titans enter Wednesday’s game winners in one of their last 15 games.- The @Detroit_Titans have allowed 70 or more points in 14 of their last 15 contests.- The @Detroit_Titans have turned the ball over fewer than 15 times in six of their last seven tilts.- Senee Shearer leads the @Detroit_Titans in scoring with 19.8 PPG..- Shearer’s 19.8 PPG average is third in the HL, 37th in the nation. Her 3.12 three-point field goals per game mark ranks 12th.- Opponents hold a 104-39 advantage in blocks over @Detroit_Titans.- Autumn Rademacher is in her sixth season as head coach of the Titans.- Rademacher graduated from Detroit where she is the third-leading scorer in school history.- Rademacher spent time as an assistant coach at Green Bay and Western Michigan before returning to Detroit.

Jessica Carr- Scored a career-high 16 points Saturday versus Oakland.- Tallied seven steals versus Detroit on 1/23/14.- Gave out a career-high six assists at UIC on 1/21/14.- Scored 12 points and had four assists vs. South Dakota on 12/31/13.- Made her season debut versus Western Michigan on Dec. 29th, where she scored five points and notched an assist, steal, and rebound.

Elizabeth Hamlet- Scored a season-high 12 points versus her alma mater (Oakland) on Jan. 15.- Shot 3-for-5 from the field in Valpo’s 63-61 defeat of Toledo at the Toledo Invite.

Abby Dean- Averaged 14.0 PPG in a four-game stretch from 1/21 to 2/1.- Poured in a career high 20 points and six steals vs. Detroit on 1/23/14.- Has knocked down exactly five field goals in seven different contests.- Only Crusader to start every game thus far.- Tallied a then career-high 17 points at Tennessee Tech on Nov. 24th.- Scored first collegiate points at Cameron Indoor Stadium on 11/23/12.- Made collegiate debut on November 14th versus Purdue-Calumet.- Tossed in 11 points in 19 minutes vs.Western Michigan last season.

Lexi Miller- Scored 13 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting at Green Bay on 2/3.- Tallied 13 assists to five turnovers during the Toledo Invite.- Scored a career-high 18 points vs. Tennessee Tech on 11/24/13.- Accumulated 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals (all career highs at the time) at Saint Louis on 11/10/13.- Made collegiate debut against the Indiana Hoosiers 11/9/12.- Made first start in Hinkle Fieldhouse versus the Butler Bulldogs.- Scored 13 points in Valpo’s 88-62 victory over UIC on 2/16/13.

Charae Richardson- Valpo’s leading scorer (11.2 PPG).- Has recorded at least one steal in each of her last fourteen games.- Has scored 58 points over the last four games.- Tallied a career-high 23 points versus Montana State.- Dished out a season-high seven assists at Tennessee Tech.- Leads team in total assists (80) and steals (35).- Scored 15 points in the season opener at Saint Louis on Nov. 10th.- Played in all 31 games for the Crusaders last season, including 28 starts. - Carried an 84.1 free-throw percentage.- Finished second on the team last season in 3-pointers (24) and assists (95).

Liz Horton- Listed as day-to-day (back).- Made five of six three-point attempts en route to a career-high 20 points at Tulsa on 1/4/14.- Snapped an eight-game three-point streak at Oakland on 1/15/14.- Shot 23-of-45 from the field in December including 10-for-19 from behind the arc.- Leads team in three-point field goal percentage (40%)- Scored exactly 11 points on four different occasions this season (Illinois, #6 Notre Dame, Montana State, Toledo).- Appeared in 30 games for the Brown and Gold a season ago.- Named Crusaders’ Most Improved Player in 2012-13. - Scored 19 points, including 3-for-3 shooting from behind the arc, at Western Michigan on Dec. 19th.

Sharon Karungi- Secured a career-best 16 rebounds Saturday vs. Oakland in addition to pouring in 22 points for her first double-double since 12/7..- Posted a career-high 25 points at Cleveland State on 2/13/14.- Has finished in double figures in points in each of the last four tilts.- Shot a season-best 85.7% (12-14) from the floor at CSU on 2/13/14.- Scored a then career-high 21 points in her first HL game (1/9/14).- Leading rebounder (7.3) for the Crusaders.- Grabbed 14 rebounds in both games of the Toledo Invite en route to Most Valuable Player recognition.- Scored the game-winning put-back with three seconds to play vs. Toledo.- Registered 17 points and 14 boards versus FIU for her third double-double of the season.- Tallied her second double-double at Tennessee Tech, scoring 11 points and collecting 10 rebounds.- Recorded her first double-double at Illinois on Nov. 12th, throwing in 15 points and grabbing 12 boards.

Jessi Wiedemann- Registered a career-high 21 points vs. Cleveland State on 1/27/14.- Named to Toledo Invite All-Tournament Team after scoring 15 versus Chicago State and 14 against Toledo.- Double figure scorer in fourteen games for the Crusaders.- Has made multiple three-pointers in eleven games in 2013-14.- Snapped a season-starting 0-14 slump from behind the arc at #6 Notre Dame, nailing three treys in a nine-point game.- Played all 40 minutes in the season opener at Saint Louis and set career highs in blocks (4) and steals (3) while scoring six points.- Appeared in all 31 games including four starts as a freshman.- Made collegiate debut versus Indiana.- Scored 13 points off the bench versus Detroit on Mar. 9th, 2013.

Roster Breakdown- Valpo welcomes six new players (two freshmen, four transfers) to its team this season.- Haylee Thompson and Annemarie Hamlet will sit out this season per NCAA transfer eligibilty rules.- The Brown and Gold boast players from six different states and two countries.- Liz Horton is the only true senior on this year’s squad.